02 AUGUST 2015

Cunningham To Fury: “You Only Win Because You’re Big”

Fury And Cunningham sound off in New York

Jerry Glick reporting: If the press conference for the Main Events show scheduled for April 20th at New York’s Madison Square Garden is any indication, this fight will be a wild one. In an important heavyweight showdown, with implications of a heavyweight title shot for the winner, Britain’s Tyson Fury will make his US debut against former two time Cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham in an IBF Heavyweight Title Eliminator for the #2 spot.

It was crowded and cramped at Jack Demsey’s Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday but the heat didn’t get turned up because of the amount of media present, it started almost as soon as the Cunningham camp arrived about a half hour late, As soon as the fighters began to talk it didn’t take long for the explosion of words to take place. Good hype, but it looked real.

Much was made of Fury’s 6’9” as Cunningham compared him to the Klitschkos, “They work hard and they are talented and skillful. They would be champions even if they were of average height, “But,” said Cunningham. “Shrink him down to 6’2”, 6’3”, you’re garbage. This dude right here is winning fights because he’s big.” This led to a verbal war which included Nazim Richardson, Cunningham’s trainer.

Fury, who was named after Mike Tyson, shot back, “Tall, dark, and handsome, cool, and sexy,” said Fury. “Come April 20 this guy’s getting knocked out, guaranteed. Fury promised to “seriously” hurt Cunningham. “I hope you understand that and I hope your trainer understands that,” he added. Later, a second battle of words broke out between Richardson and Fury.

Flush from a victory over Tavoris Cloud at the Barclays center with Bernard Hopkins, Richardson compared how it is to train his two top men, “There are similarities Steve will work so hard that you have to monitor him. That’s the similarities that they have. The difference is that Bernard evolved into a boxer, while Steve has always been a boxer. Bernard was an aggressive fighter early but evolved into a boxer.”

***PUNCHLINES***

**5 or 50**

After his big win Hopkins said in the ring that he has a five year plan but later said he won’t fight until he’s fifty because his sisters said no. At 48 that means there are only two years not five years to reach fifty. This made no sense. Asked about the contradiction from Hopkins, Richardson laughed and said, “That’s Bernard, you know him as long as I have.” Good explanation, thanks Brother Nazim for clearing that up.